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(→‎Pure- or half-blood parent and Muggle parent: Added that Sybill Trelawney is also a half-blood)
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[[File:The_potters_hp.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Half-blood [[Harry Potter]] is the son of a [[pure-blood]] [[James Potter I|wizard]] and a [[Muggle-born]] [[Lily Evans|witch]].]]
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[[File:Potters3.gif|thumb|240px|Half-blood [[Harry Potter]] is the son of a [[pure-blood]] [[James Potter I|wizard]] and a [[Muggle-born]] [[Lily Evans|witch]]]]
{{quote|Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn’t married Muggles we’d’ve died out.|[[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] discussing [[blood purity]]|Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets}}
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{{Quote|Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn’t married Muggles we’d’ve died out.|[[Ronald Weasley|Ron Weasley]] discussing [[blood purity]]|Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets}}
   
 
'''Half-blood''' is the term commonly given to [[wizards|wizards and witches]] who have a Muggle/Muggle-born parent and magical parent. By the [[1990s]], half-bloods were the most common type of magical person, as the wizarding population would have become extinct had they not inter-married with Muggles and [[Muggle-born]]s.<ref name="CS">''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''</ref>
 
'''Half-blood''' is the term commonly given to [[wizards|wizards and witches]] who have a Muggle/Muggle-born parent and magical parent. By the [[1990s]], half-bloods were the most common type of magical person, as the wizarding population would have become extinct had they not inter-married with Muggles and [[Muggle-born]]s.<ref name="CS">''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''</ref>
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==Attitude towards half-bloods==
 
==Attitude towards half-bloods==
{{quote|You dare speak his name? YOU FILTHY HALF-BLOOD!|[[Bellatrix Lestrange]] to [[Harry Potter]] after he uses the name [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]]|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)}}
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{{Quote|You dare speak his name? YOU FILTHY HALF-BLOOD!|[[Bellatrix Lestrange]] to [[Harry Potter]] after he uses the name [[Tom Riddle|Voldemort]]|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)}}
[[File:Voldemort&Co.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Lord Voldemort, who denies his half-blood status.]]
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[[File:C0634d41d6_77756546_o2.jpg|thumb|left|140px|Lord Voldemort, who denies his half-blood status]]
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Those who believe in the importance of [[blood purity]] consider half-bloods to be inferior because of their [[Muggle]] heritage, though superior to [[Muggle-born]]s. Occasionally, the term "half-blood" can be used in a derogatory manner, similar to the epithet "[[Mudblood]]"; [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] and the portrait of [[Walburga Black]] did so on multiple occasions.<ref name="OTP">''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''</ref>
 
Those who believe in the importance of [[blood purity]] consider half-bloods to be inferior because of their [[Muggle]] heritage, though superior to [[Muggle-born]]s. Occasionally, the term "half-blood" can be used in a derogatory manner, similar to the epithet "[[Mudblood]]"; [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] and the portrait of [[Walburga Black]] did so on multiple occasions.<ref name="OTP">''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''</ref>
   
Some half-bloods expressed prejudice towards those with Muggle heritage, despite having some themselves, and clung to what wizarding heritage they had. Notably, [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] hated Muggles and [[Muggle-born]]s, despite having a Muggle [[Tom Riddle Sr.|father]], and denied his half-Muggle heritage, leaving hints that he was a pure-blood instead, emphasizing his heritage to the famous pure-blood ancestor, [[Salazar Slytherin]], to make himself more believable.<ref name="CS"/> [[Severus Snape]] may be another example; his self-entitled nickname was "[[Severus Snape|Half-Blood Prince]]" because his mother, [[Eileen Prince]], was a pure-blood witch and his father, [[Tobias Snape]], was a Muggle. However, [[Remus Lupin]] reported that he never used the nickname openly. This, as well as Snape's membership in the [[Death Eaters]], suggests he may have been ashamed of his Muggle heritage, at least in his early life.<ref name="HBP">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''</ref> In fact, these people, along with some other Death Eaters, pretend to be pure-bloods, hiding their Muggle heritage from anyone else; most of them are half-bloods due to centuries of dilution and decline of what may be called as a true "pure-blood". Ironically (or perhaps because of), regarding the Prophecy concerning his defeat, Voldemort chose to go after a half-blood [[Harry Potter]] instead of the pure-blood [[Neville Longbottom]].
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Some half-bloods expressed prejudice towards those with Muggle heritage, despite having some themselves, and clung to what wizarding heritage they had. Notably, [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] hated Muggles and [[Muggle-born]]s, despite having a Muggle [[Tom Riddle Sr.|father]], and denied his half-Muggle heritage, leaving hints that he was a pure-blood instead, emphasizing his heritage to the famous pure-blood ancestor, [[Salazar Slytherin]], to make himself more believable.<ref name="CS"/> [[Severus Snape]] may be another example; his self-entitled nickname was "[[Severus Snape|''Half-Blood Prince'']]" because his mother, [[Eileen Prince]], was a pure-blood witch and his father, [[Tobias Snape]], was a Muggle. However, [[Remus Lupin]] reported that he never used the nickname openly. This, as well as Snape's membership in the [[Death Eaters]], suggests he may have been ashamed of his Muggle heritage, at least in his early life.<ref name="HBP">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''</ref> In fact, these people, along with some other Death Eaters, pretend to be pure-bloods, hiding their Muggle heritage from anyone else; most of them are half-bloods due to centuries of dilution and decline of what may be called as a true "pure-blood". Ironically (or perhaps because of), regarding the Prophecy concerning his defeat, Voldemort chose to go after a half-blood [[Harry Potter]] instead of the pure-blood [[Neville Longbottom]].
   
 
When the [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]] fell under Voldemort's control in [[1997]], [[Muggle-born]]s were openly persecuted and [[pure-blood]]s were favoured above all else. Half-bloods were still accepted at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], but were not treated as well as the [[pure-blood]] students.<ref name="DH">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''</ref>
 
When the [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministry of Magic]] fell under Voldemort's control in [[1997]], [[Muggle-born]]s were openly persecuted and [[pure-blood]]s were favoured above all else. Half-bloods were still accepted at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], but were not treated as well as the [[pure-blood]] students.<ref name="DH">''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''</ref>
   
 
==Known half-bloods==
 
==Known half-bloods==
[[File:Snape OOP trailer.png|thumb|200px|right|Severus Snape]]
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[[File:Severus_Snape_Profile.JPG|thumb|130px|Severus Snape]]
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[[File:Dolores_Umbridge.JPG|thumb|130px|Dolores Umbridge ]]
 
 
===Pure- or half-blood parent and Muggle parent===
 
===Pure- or half-blood parent and Muggle parent===
*[[Seamus Finnigan]] pure- or half-blood [[Seamus Finnigan's mother|mother]], Muggle [[Seamus Finnigan's father|father]]
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*[[Seamus Finnigan]] - pure- or half-blood [[Seamus Finnigan's mother|mother]], Muggle [[Seamus Finnigan's father|father]]
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*[[Gilderoy Lockhart]] - pure- or half-blood [[Gilderoy Lockhart's mother|mother]], Muggle [[Gilderoy Lockhart's father|father]]<ref name="lockhart">[[Pottermore]] - [http://www.pottermore.com/en/book2/chapter13/moment2/gilderoy-lockhart New From J. K. Rowling - Gilderoy Lockhart]</ref>
*[[Mafalda]] pure-blood [[Squib]] or [[wizard]] [[Molly Weasley's second cousin|father]], Muggle [[Mafalda's mother|mother]]
 
*[[Minerva McGonagall]] pure- or half-blood [[Isobel McGonagall|mother]], Muggle [[Robert McGonagall|father]]<ref name="pottermore">[[Pottermore]] biography of [[Minerva McGonagall]] (transcription available [http://forums.darklordpotter.net/showpost.php?s=4a2e751bddc00f9618a0b1bb6d9ce6fc&p=481284&postcount=443 here])</ref>
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*[[Remus Lupin]] - pure- or half-blood [[Lyall Lupin|father]], Muggle [[Hope Howell|mother]]<ref name="lupin">[[Pottermore]] - [http://www.pottermore.com/en/book3/chapter22/moment1/remus-lupin New From J. K. Rowling - Remus Lupin]</ref>
*[[Tom Riddle|Tom Marvolo Riddle/Lord Voldemort]] pure-blood [[Merope Gaunt|mother]], Muggle [[Tom Riddle Sr.|father]]
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*[[Mafalda]] - pure-blood [[Squib]] or [[wizard]] [[Molly Weasley's second cousin|father]], Muggle [[Mafalda's mother|mother]]
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*[[Minerva McGonagall]] - pure- or half-blood [[Isobel McGonagall|mother]], Muggle [[Robert McGonagall|father]]<ref name="pottermore">[[Pottermore]] - [http://www.pottermore.com/en-us/book5/chapter27/moment2/professor-mcgonagall New From J. K. Rowling - Minerva McGonagall]</ref>
*[[Severus Snape]] pure-blood [[Eileen Prince|mother]], Muggle [[Tobias Snape|father]]
 
*[[Dean Thomas]] pure- or half-blood [[Dean Thomas's father|father]], Muggle [[Dean Thomas's mother|mother]]
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*[[Malcolm McGonagall]] - pure- or half-blood [[Isobel McGonagall|mother]], Muggle [[Robert McGonagall|father]]<ref name="pottermore" />
*[[Bowman Wright]] pure- or half-blood [[Bowman Wright's mother|mother]], Muggle [[Bowman Wright's father|father]]
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*[[Robert McGonagall Jr.]] - pure- or half-blood [[Isobel McGonagall|mother]], Muggle [[Robert McGonagall|father]]<ref name="pottermore" />
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*[[Tom Riddle|Tom Marvolo Riddle/Lord Voldemort]] - pure-blood [[Merope Gaunt|mother]], Muggle [[Tom Riddle Sr.|father]]
[[File:Nymphadora Tonks.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Nymphadora Tonks]]
 
 
*[[Severus Snape]] - pure-blood [[Eileen Prince|mother]], Muggle [[Tobias Snape|father]]
 
*[[Dean Thomas]] - pure- or half-blood [[Dean Thomas's father|father]], Muggle [[Dean Thomas's mother|mother]]
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* [[Sybill Trelawney]] - pure- or half-blood father, Muggle mother
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*[[Celestina Warbeck]] - pure- or half-blood [[Celestina Warbeck's father|father]], Muggle [[Celestina Warbeck's mother|mother]]<ref name="celestinawarbeck">[[Pottermore]] - [http://www.pottermore.com/en-us/book2/chapter4/moment1/celestina-warbeck New From J. K. Rowling - Celestina Warbeck]</ref>
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*[[Dolores Umbridge]] - pure- or half-blood [[Orford Umbridge|father]], Muggle [[Ellen Cracknell|mother]]<ref>[[Pottermore]] - [http://www.pottermore.com/en/book5/chapter13/moment1/dolores-umbridge New from J.K. Rowling - Dolores Umbridge]</ref>
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*[[Bowman Wright]] - pure- or half-blood [[Bowman Wright's mother|mother]], Muggle [[Bowman Wright's father|father]]
 
[[File:1Tonks.jpg|thumb|130px|Nymphadora Tonks]]
   
 
===Pure- or half-blood parent and Muggle-born parent===
 
===Pure- or half-blood parent and Muggle-born parent===
*[[Alfred Cattermole]] pure- or half-blood [[Reginald Cattermole|father]], Muggle-born [[Mary Cattermole|mother]]
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*[[Alfred Cattermole]] - pure- or half-blood [[Reginald Cattermole|father]], Muggle-born [[Mary Cattermole|mother]]
*[[Ellie Cattermole]] pure- or half-blood father, Muggle-born mother
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*[[Ellie Cattermole]] - pure- or half-blood father, Muggle-born mother
*[[Maisie Cattermole]] pure- or half-blood father, Muggle-born mother
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*[[Maisie Cattermole]] - pure- or half-blood father, Muggle-born mother
*[[Cresswell brothers]] pure- or half-blood [[Dirk Cresswell's wife|mother]], Muggle-born [[Dirk Cresswell|father]]
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*[[Cresswell brothers]] - pure- or half-blood [[Dirk Cresswell's wife|mother]], Muggle-born [[Dirk Cresswell|father]]
*[[Aberforth Dumbledore]] pure- or half-blood [[Percival Dumbledore|father]], Muggle-born [[Kendra Dumbledore|mother]]
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*[[Aberforth Dumbledore]] - pure- or half-blood [[Percival Dumbledore|father]], Muggle-born [[Kendra Dumbledore|mother]]
*[[Albus Dumbledore]] pure- or half-blood [[Percival Dumbledore|father]], Muggle-born [[Kendra Dumbledore|mother]]
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*[[Albus Dumbledore]] - pure- or half-blood [[Percival Dumbledore|father]], Muggle-born [[Kendra Dumbledore|mother]]
*[[Ariana Dumbledore]] pure- or half-blood [[Percival Dumbledore|father]] , Muggle-born [[Kendra Dumbledore|mother]]
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*[[Ariana Dumbledore]] - pure- or half-blood [[Percival Dumbledore|father]], Muggle-born [[Kendra Dumbledore|mother]]
*[[Garrick Ollivander]] pure- or half-blood [[Garrick Ollivander's father|father]], Muggle-born [[Garrick Ollivander's mother|mother]]<ref name="ollivander">Pottermore background information on Ollivander (transcription available [http://lady-slytherin-forever.tumblr.com/post/8978736031/information-about-ollivander here])</ref>
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*[[Garrick Ollivander]] - pure- or half-blood [[Garrick Ollivander's father|father]], Muggle-born [[Garrick Ollivander's mother|mother]]<ref name="ollivander">[[Pottermore]] - [http://www.pottermore.com/en-us/book4/chapter18/moment2/mr-ollivander New From J. K. Rowling - Mr Ollivander]</ref>
*[[Harry Potter]] pure-blood [[James Potter I|father]], Muggle-born [[Lily Evans|mother]]
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*[[Harry Potter]] - pure-blood [[James Potter I|father]], Muggle-born [[Lily Evans|mother]]
*[[Nymphadora Tonks]] pure-blood [[Andromeda Tonks|mother]], Muggle-born [[Ted Tonks|father]]
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*[[Nymphadora Tonks]] - pure-blood [[Andromeda Tonks|mother]], Muggle-born [[Ted Tonks|father]]
*[[Hugo Weasley]] pure-blood father, Muggle-born mother
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*[[Hugo Weasley]] - pure-blood father, Muggle-born mother
*[[Rose Weasley]] pure-blood [[Ronald Weasley|father]], Muggle-born [[Hermione Granger|mother]]
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*[[Rose Weasley]] - pure-blood [[Ronald Weasley|father]], Muggle-born [[Hermione Granger|mother]]
[[File:Seamus FinnigansG.PNG|thumb|150px|Seamus Finnigan]]
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[[File:Seamus_FinnigansG.PNG|thumb|130px|Seamus Finnigan.]]
   
 
===Two half-blood parents===
 
===Two half-blood parents===
*[[Ted Lupin|Teddy Lupin]] half-blood [[Remus Lupin|father]], half-blood [[Nymphadora Tonks|mother]]
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*[[Ted Lupin|Teddy Lupin]] - half-blood [[Remus Lupin|father]], half-blood [[Nymphadora Tonks|mother]]
   
 
===Two magical parents, known Muggle ancestry===
 
===Two magical parents, known Muggle ancestry===
 
<!-- The Potter children's great-grandparents, [[Lily Evans's father|Mr.]] and [[Lily Evans's mother|Mrs. Evans]] (Lily's parents), were Muggles; this is their known Muggle ancestry. The source currently used for defining blood purity defines pure-bloods as having NO Muggle heritage, therefore they are considered half-bloods. -->
 
<!-- The Potter children's great-grandparents, [[Lily Evans's father|Mr.]] and [[Lily Evans's mother|Mrs. Evans]] (Lily's parents), were Muggles; this is their known Muggle ancestry. The source currently used for defining blood purity defines pure-bloods as having NO Muggle heritage, therefore they are considered half-bloods. -->
*[[Albus Potter|Albus Severus Potter]] half-blood father, pure-blood mother
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*[[Albus Potter|Albus Severus Potter]] -half-blood father, pure-blood mother
*[[James Potter II|James Sirius Potter]] half-blood [[Harry Potter|father]], pure-blood [[Ginevra Weasley|mother]]
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*[[James Potter II|James Sirius Potter]] - half-blood [[Harry Potter|father]], pure-blood [[Ginevra Weasley|mother]]
*[[Lily Potter|Lily Luna Potter]] half-blood father, pure-blood mother
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*[[Lily Potter|Lily Luna Potter]] - half-blood father, pure-blood mother
   
 
===Unknown combination of parental status===
 
===Unknown combination of parental status===
  +
[[File:Quirrell-ps.jpg|thumb|130px|[[Quirinus Quirrell]]]]
*[[Hannah Abbott]] — at least one known Muggle ancestor
 
*[[Susan Bones]] at least one known Muggle grandparent
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*[[Hannah Abbott]] - at least one known Muggle ancestor
*[[Millicent Bulstrode]] at least one known Muggle ancestor
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*[[Susan Bones]] - at least one known Muggle grandparent
*[[Mundungus Fletcher]] at least one known Muggle ancestor
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*[[Millicent Bulstrode]] - at least one known Muggle ancestor
*[[Remus Lupin]] at least one known Muggle ancestor
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*[[Mundungus Fletcher]] - at least one known Muggle ancestor
*[[Garrick Ollivander's son|Master Ollivander]] half-blood [[Garrick Ollivander|father]], maternal ancestry unknown<ref name="ollivander" />
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*[[Garrick Ollivander's son|Master Ollivander]] - half-blood [[Garrick Ollivander|father]], maternal ancestry unknown<ref name="ollivander" />
*[[Garrick Ollivander's daughter|Miss Ollivander]] half-blood father, maternal ancestry unknown<ref name="ollivander" />
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*[[Garrick Ollivander's daughter|Miss Ollivander]] - half-blood father, maternal ancestry unknown<ref name="ollivander" />
*[[Quirinus Quirrell]] at least one known Muggle ancestor<ref name="quirrell">[[Pottermore]] background information for Quirinus Quirrell (screenshot available [http://lady-slytherin-forever.tumblr.com/post/8979013384/information-about-quirrell-i-love-how-these-are here])</ref>
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*[[Quirinus Quirrell]] - at least one known Muggle ancestor<ref name="quirrell">[[Pottermore]] - [http://www.pottermore.com/en-us/book1/chapter17/moment2/professor-quirrell New From J. K. Rowling - Professor Quirrell]</ref>
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
* On [[J. K. Rowling]]'s draft list of students in [[Harry Potter]]'s class, which is not considered [[canon]] due to several contradictions with the novels, the following students were mentioned as half-bloods<ref name="HPM">''[[Harry Potter and Me]]''</ref>:
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* On [[J. K. Rowling]]'s draft list of students in [[Harry Potter]]'s class, which is not considered [[canon]] due to several contradictions with the novels, the following students were mentioned as half-bloods:<ref name="HPM">''[[Harry Potter and Me]]''</ref>
 
:* [[Susan Bones]]
 
:* [[Susan Bones]]
 
:* [[Mandy Brocklehurst]]
 
:* [[Mandy Brocklehurst]]
Line 74: Line 82:
 
:* [[Megan Jones]]
 
:* [[Megan Jones]]
 
:* [[Sue Li]] {{comment|Possibly a precursor to [[Cho Chang]]}}
 
:* [[Sue Li]] {{comment|Possibly a precursor to [[Cho Chang]]}}
* In the GBC version of ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)]]'', there is a [[Unidentified boy who attended Charm School|boy]] in Slytherin who went to Charm school and is listed as being likely half-blood.<ref name="bloodstatus">This individual refers to his father, a wizard, but later refers to films. This indicates that while having magical ancestry, he had some contact with the [[Muggle|Muggle world]]. Thus, he was most likely a [[half-blood]].</ref>
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* In the GBC version of ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)]]'', there is a [[Unidentified boy who attended Charm School|boy]] in Slytherin who went to Charm school and is listed as being likely half-blood.<ref name="bloodstatus">This individual refers to his father, a wizard, but later refers to films. This indicates that while having magical ancestry, he had some contact with the [[Muggle|Muggle world]]. Thus, he was most likely a half-blood.</ref>
* On the draft class list, [[Hannah Abbott]] was listed as a [[Muggle-born]]<ref name="HPM"/>, but in a later interview, Rowling stated that she had always thought of Hannah as a [[pure-blood]]. To compromise, she was made a half-blood.<ref name="pottercast">[http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/12/23/transcript-of-part-1-of-pottercast-s-jk-rowling-interview PotterCast 130 transcript]</ref>
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* On the draft class list, [[Hannah Abbott]] was listed as a [[Muggle-born]],<ref name="HPM"/> but in a later interview, Rowling stated that she had always thought of Hannah as a [[pure-blood]]. To compromise, she was made a half-blood.<ref name="pottercast">[http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/12/23/transcript-of-part-1-of-pottercast-s-jk-rowling-interview PotterCast 130 transcript]</ref>
 
* An interesting fact of note is that despite the ideals that pure-bloods are inherently more powerful wizards, several of the most powerful or particularly adept wizards and witches in the series are in fact half-blood, such as [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]], [[Albus Dumbledore]], [[Severus Snape]], [[Minerva McGonagall]], and [[Harry Potter]].
 
* An interesting fact of note is that despite the ideals that pure-bloods are inherently more powerful wizards, several of the most powerful or particularly adept wizards and witches in the series are in fact half-blood, such as [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]], [[Albus Dumbledore]], [[Severus Snape]], [[Minerva McGonagall]], and [[Harry Potter]].
 
* Due to [[Dean Thomas's father]] being dead, Dean himself was unable to prove his half-blood heritage during Voldemort's reign. As such, he was regarded as a Muggle-born.
 
* Due to [[Dean Thomas's father]] being dead, Dean himself was unable to prove his half-blood heritage during Voldemort's reign. As such, he was regarded as a Muggle-born.
 
* The trio of [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]], and [[Ron Weasley]] consists of all three types of [[Wizards]]. Harry being half-blood, Hermione being [[Muggle-born]], and Ron being [[Pure-Blood]].
 
* The trio of [[Harry Potter]], [[Hermione Granger]], and [[Ron Weasley]] consists of all three types of [[Wizards]]. Harry being half-blood, Hermione being [[Muggle-born]], and Ron being [[Pure-Blood]].
[[Category:Half-bloods| ]]
 
[[Category:Genetics]]
 
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==

Revision as of 05:23, 26 November 2014

Potters3

Half-blood Harry Potter is the son of a pure-blood wizard and a Muggle-born witch

"Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn’t married Muggles we’d’ve died out."
Ron Weasley discussing blood purity[src]

Half-blood is the term commonly given to wizards and witches who have a Muggle/Muggle-born parent and magical parent. By the 1990s, half-bloods were the most common type of magical person, as the wizarding population would have become extinct had they not inter-married with Muggles and Muggle-borns.[1]

Due to the dominance of the magic gene, children born to at least one magical parent will almost always be magical themselves. A non-magical child born to a Muggle and a wizard is considered a Squib (not a Muggle).[2]

Attitude towards half-bloods

"You dare speak his name? YOU FILTHY HALF-BLOOD!"
Bellatrix Lestrange to Harry Potter after he uses the name Voldemort[src]
File:C0634d41d6 77756546 o2.jpg

Lord Voldemort, who denies his half-blood status

Those who believe in the importance of blood purity consider half-bloods to be inferior because of their Muggle heritage, though superior to Muggle-borns. Occasionally, the term "half-blood" can be used in a derogatory manner, similar to the epithet "Mudblood"; Bellatrix Lestrange and the portrait of Walburga Black did so on multiple occasions.[3]

Some half-bloods expressed prejudice towards those with Muggle heritage, despite having some themselves, and clung to what wizarding heritage they had. Notably, Lord Voldemort hated Muggles and Muggle-borns, despite having a Muggle father, and denied his half-Muggle heritage, leaving hints that he was a pure-blood instead, emphasizing his heritage to the famous pure-blood ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, to make himself more believable.[1] Severus Snape may be another example; his self-entitled nickname was "Half-Blood Prince" because his mother, Eileen Prince, was a pure-blood witch and his father, Tobias Snape, was a Muggle. However, Remus Lupin reported that he never used the nickname openly. This, as well as Snape's membership in the Death Eaters, suggests he may have been ashamed of his Muggle heritage, at least in his early life.[4] In fact, these people, along with some other Death Eaters, pretend to be pure-bloods, hiding their Muggle heritage from anyone else; most of them are half-bloods due to centuries of dilution and decline of what may be called as a true "pure-blood". Ironically (or perhaps because of), regarding the Prophecy concerning his defeat, Voldemort chose to go after a half-blood Harry Potter instead of the pure-blood Neville Longbottom.

When the Ministry of Magic fell under Voldemort's control in 1997, Muggle-borns were openly persecuted and pure-bloods were favoured above all else. Half-bloods were still accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but were not treated as well as the pure-blood students.[5]

Known half-bloods

File:Severus Snape Profile.JPG

Severus Snape

Dolores Umbridge

Dolores Umbridge

Pure- or half-blood parent and Muggle parent

1Tonks

Nymphadora Tonks

Pure- or half-blood parent and Muggle-born parent

Seamus FinnigansG

Seamus Finnigan.

Two half-blood parents

Two magical parents, known Muggle ancestry

Unknown combination of parental status

Quirrell-ps

Quirinus Quirrell

Behind the scenes

  • On J. K. Rowling's draft list of students in Harry Potter's class, which is not considered canon due to several contradictions with the novels, the following students were mentioned as half-bloods:[13]

Appearances

See also

Notes and references